Learning to Cope
by Muise
Summary: -AU- Tatsuki wants there to be someone else who Orihime can confide in besides herself. So she chooses to get Orihime and her other best friend together. While planning though, tragedy strikes leaving her unable to help Orihime... ON HIATUS!
1. Only One

**Notes- **Somehow, I managed to write this although I was busy all week. That is why my other fic hasn't been updating do to testing and such in school. I posted on my Live Journal account the reason why I have been so delayed in posting the past few weeks.

So if you want to know when I'll be posting chapters, one-shots, or anything else, just visit my LJ account. There is a link on my profile page! ^^

In other news, I have posted a poll on the rating for my other story, so please go vote now! Now, on with the story~! =D

Also, some may think the beginning is weird, but remember, this is AU! So it never really happened and is only a dream. You'll get what I am saying once you have read it… =)

**Summary:**

**Tatsuki wants there to be someone else who Orihime can confide in besides herself. So she chooses to get Orihime and her other best friend Ichigo together. While planning though, tragedy strikes leaving Tatsuki unable to help Orihime anymore and Ichigo to think about his own growing feelings. But little did she know that her own death could be the cause for the two to finally get together. Now, Ichigo must find a way to comfort the depressed Orihime over the death of her friend.**

* * *

><p><em><span>Learning To Cope<span>_

_Chapter One_

_Only One_

…

"_K…Kurosaki-kun?"_

_Inoue Orihime stood a few feet away from the heartless monster that she still sees as her friend. A bull shaped mask with long, sharp horns and two black lines parallel to each other, covering his usual scowl. The scowl she loved so much._

_Oh, how she missed that scowl right now._

"_C-Can you h…can you hear me, Kurosaki-kun?" She whispered to the now albino skinned Ichigo. His crisp tan colored skin was gone as well. Sometimes, Orihime would dream about what it would feel like to run her hands down his muscled arms. Maybe even down the ripples of his sculpted chest and learn how to draw it out and trace it with the light touches of her small fingers. _

"_S… Save… You….I'll… You… S-Save"_

_The words that hissed out from under his mask were hard for her to comprehend. The voice was booming, yet barely audible for her to hear._

_Auburn hair whipped around her perfectly oval shaped head. Grey orbs glanced back to her other friend who was missing a hand at the moment. The fourth Espada was nowhere in sight, or at least from where she could see._

"_You… Save…"_

"_Are you really…" A gulp from the princess. "K-Kuro…Kurosaki-kun?"_

_Her head swung back to let her look over once again her now monstrous crush. She jumped as one of his clawed feet stepped closer to her form. She couldn't move, so she kept watching for what he wanted to do by getting closer to her shivering self._

_She blinked once, big mistake._

_A scream of pain from the last Quincy entered her ears as she saw the now empty spot where Ichigo use to reside. She turned her head and saw Uryuu lying flat on surface of the dome with blood spilling out of his abdomen, his groans getting dangerously softer with each passing second._

_She watched with intense fear as his breathing slowly began to fade._

_Another scream pierced through the air._

_It was only after the fact that her hollowed friend was now in front of her, did Orihime relies that she was the one screaming bloody murder._

_It was then that Uryuu stopped breathing all together, yet the screaming never did stop any way._

"_P… Pro… You… I'll… You…Protec… Protect You…"_

_Kurosaki-kun!_

"KUROSAKI-KUN!"

Scared eyes flashed open. Auburn hair stuck to her forehead as she panted and tried to calm herself down. A loud beeping noise came from the digital alarm on the beauties night stand. She lightly pushed the button for it to stop.

For a few nights, she had been having the same dream of her class mate, Kurosaki Ichigo. She had spoken to him a few times before, learning about him from her friends and wishing that he himself would tell her more about his personal life. Over time, she learned that her curiosity about him was growing into something so much more.

She now discovered she had a crush on her orange headed male.

A blush tinted her cheeks at the thought of him, making her quickly forget about the scare she had just gone through only moments before.

She pulled the light pink blanket that was half way off the bed back on to its usual place. It had fallen off from her tossing and turning though out the night. She crawled off the bed, letting her toes curl from the coolness of the wooden floor when she made contact with it.

Her small feet brought her to her bathroom, where she stripped off her night gown and took a steaming hot shower. Orihime let the water that burned her skin trial down between the valley of her breasts and all the way to her nether region. She combed her fingers through the thick strands of dark orange locks. She flinched when she got caught in a tangle.

The water turned off, and she changed into her school uniform like any other day. She tied the crimson bow around her neck and let out a soft sigh that echoed though the empty hall of her apartment.

She glanced at the clock, already knowing she was almost into being four hours late for school, which was very unusual of her since she was a good student and always made good conduct every day since the term began in the spring.

Orihime opened the front door and left, hoping she hadn't missed to much in the short time she had not been in class.

…

…

…

"Dammit," cursed a tall, spiky hair girl as she began to bite down on the thumb nail of her right hand. She eyed the classroom door, as if waiting for it to slide open and reveal her air headed friend after so many hours of her being gone. It wasn't like her to skip class or even be absent; so it left her feeling like something bad had happened.

Purple orbs glanced at the karate champion through slightly squinted lids. The girl's hair was short and curled out before hitting her shoulders. It was darker then a raven's wing. Her body petite and she was short in size. She had wide hips and skinny arms that hid the true strength she possessed. A short, thin eyebrow was arched as she kept her eye on her worried friend.

"Calm down Tatsuki," she told the girl who was acting like a mother hen. "I'm sure Orihime is just late from sleeping in or something like that. You know how care free she can be at times."

Tatsuki met her other friend's glance and grunted out her response half-heartedly. She switched her gaze from the door; to the window that over looked the entrance gate of the school.

"Sorry," Tatsuki sighed out. A guilty look over took her honey colored eyes. "I guess I'm just getting a little _too _worried about Orihime…"

With an eyebrow still raised, the daughter of a noble family, Kuchiki Rukia, just shrugged at the other girl's answer. "You are her best friend, Tatsuki," the noble said with a small smile growing on her lips. "I think that gives you enough right to worry over her. All she has is _you _after all."

The Kuchiki continued by waving her hand to try and show that everything was going to be just fine. Tatsuki tried to smile at her reassurance, but found it tasting a little bit bittersweet, so she gave up on it.

Rukia gazed over to the window then back at Tatsuki. She grabbed her bento box and headed over to the sliding door.

"Do you wanna come and go eat with the other girls under the sakura tree?"

Tatsuki shook her head. "No… I think I'll wait here to see if Hime comes back before lunch is over. So you go on ahead." She resumed by grabbing her own box and opening it to eat whatever her mother had prepared for her that morning.

"Well, if you change your mind, then you know where to find us, Tatsuki." Rukia said, than slid the classroom door closed and walked off to eat with the others.

When the door shut, Tatsuki's eyes gained a hint of sadness. She looked out the window again, hoping Orihime would show up soon then later.

"_All she has is you…"_

_Somehow, that doesn't make me feel any better then it should have… _Tatsuki thought. _I need to find someone else who can be with Orihime when I can't… I won't always be around for her when she needs me the most…_

…

…

…

…

…

* * *

><p><strong>Notes- <strong>Yes, I know that first chapter is a little too short, even for my taste. I hope for people to support it though, chapters should be regularly longer then this one. At least, I hope so… ^^;

Please R&R to give me your thought. Who knows? Maybe if I get a certain number I'm thinking of, you might get the second chapter sooner then expected. Because I already finished it~! =P


	2. Planning

**Summary:**

**Tatsuki wants there to be someone else who Orihime can confide in besides herself. So she chooses to get Orihime and her other best friend Ichigo together. While planning though, tragedy strikes leaving Tatsuki unable to help Orihime anymore and Ichigo to think about his own growing feeling for Orihime alone. But little did she know that her own death could be the cause for the two to finally get together. Now, Ichigo must find a way to comfort the depressed Orihime over the death of her lost friend.**

* * *

><p><em><span>Learning to Cope<span>_

_Chapter Two_

_Planning_

…

"Ano… why does school have to be so far away from home~" Orihime complained as she entered the large building of Karakura High. She quickly switched out shoes at her shoe locker. She jumped one foot -since she was still trying to put on her left slipper- down the sun light filled hallways to get to her class.

She leaned against the wall as she used her fingers to cover the heal of her small foot. As she was doing so though, her skirt started to ride up in a dangerous fashion, which she took no notice to. A cough made her jump from her actions.

Her foot slammed back onto the tiled floor. Orihime glanced from underneath her thick lashes to see who had made the noise. A few feet away stood a tall, broad chested boy wearing the male student uniform. His hair was a bright shade of orange and a scowl covered his features along with his usually crispy tan looking flushed on his face for some reason. Chocolate orbs clashed into shining grey.

The princess blinked, confused as to why his face was red.

"Are you ok, Kurosaki-kun?" She asked him innocently. She looked at him with stormy eyes that could make any male want to melt, but the one standing a few feet away just grunted in response.

He stood still, still staring at her with an intense gaze that made her own cheeks flame. He blinked a few times, wondering why he had stared at the girl for so long.

"I'm fine, Inoue," Ichigo said. He turned his head in another direction to look out on of the many windows that let fresh sun light into the hallway. He began to scratch the back of his head nervously. He was a little peeved that he had enjoyed the view of her blue striped panties so damn much. Another problem would be that he could not get the image out of his head.

"Is something worrying you then?"

He stopped. Ichigo looked back at her, giving her a confused look. "What makes you think that?"

"Oh… well…" Orihime's face began to get more flushed then before. She averted her eyes from her crush to the spot he had been looking at. "I-I… I've noticed that…. Well, whenever Kurosaki-kun gets nervous… h-he scratches the back o-of his neck…" She silently cursed at herself for stuttering.

He would probably think her very weird for taking notice to such a little action like that. Ichigo probably was thinking she was a freak for taking so much time as to even watch him and know why he would do that. It was worse though, that she knew why he even did it. She knew the exact reason because she would steal a glance during school to look at him. He would sometimes have a spacy look on his face, which was strange, but very cute to her.

Orihime was thinking over of whether or not she should take the chance to run away and hide in a supply closet for the rest of the day as he thought of what to say back. She really wish the floor would just open up and swallow her whole right now.

_Why did I even tell him that! _Orihime mentally slapped herself silly. _He probably wants to do away with me like those darn little blue men who trip me and make me fall down the stair and hit random poles that come out of nowhere… How do they even move the poles though? Are they like ants? Can they pick up object five times their size? Oh! That would be so cool! If I were an ant, I wonder if I could pick up a building the size of-_

"Oi, Inoue!"

"Eh?"

Ichigo sighed. "You were daydreaming again, Inoue."

"Oh… I-I was?" The auburn haired girl bit her bottom lip, feeling embarrassed had she had just spaced out on her orange headed crush. "I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun…"

He held in the urge to scratch the back of his neck again. Ichigo tried to dismiss the apology. "No… You're free to do whatever you want, Inoue. Even if it is to daydream and keeping your mouth gapped open like a coy fish..."

Orihime's face flushed. "It wasn't open like that!" She gave him a cute glare and puffed her cheeks out, trying to make herself look angry.

It didn't seem to work, since Ichigo immediately started to laugh at her. She pouted at him to try and show she was serious, but even that didn't seem to work.

She tried to ignore that fact that she though his laugh was very nice to the ears, her ears. Orihime had never been given the pleasure to hear his laugh. It was… a very pleasant experience to witness and listen to. She silently whispered a wish to one day be able to hear it again, and to also be the person who caused it.

Playing along, Orihime turned her face and huffed out some air. "Well, I think Kurosaki-kun is being a meanie~!" She pulled out her pink lips faked another pout. Her arms went under her chest to cross, making her already large mounds look even bigger. He laughed more.

Orihime tried hard to hide the small smile that formed on her lips. She found herself giggling along with Ichigo's now softer chuckles. Her cheeks took a small dust of pink.

A hand came in contact with the top of her head, making Orihime stop giggling. She gazed up to Ichigo, who was ruffling her rust colored hair with his larger hand. Her eyes got as big as saucers. She liked the feeling of his finger tangled into her auburn locks. As if he realized what he was doing, he snatched his hand away, but he still looked down at her with soft chocolate eyes.

They stared into each other's eyes. It felt like hours before it stopped and both moved their sight into another direction, finding windows and tiled floors of higher interest. Orihime messed with the hem of her skirt and Ichigo stuffed his hands into his pockets.

Ichigo found it a good feeling, yet a bad one also, that he had liked the way her hair had gone through his finger so easily. It felt like he was touching a fabric smoother then silk. He had never thought hair could be so soft. He actually wanted to attempt to run though it again. Would she think he was weird if he did it again? Well… it did seem pretty awkward to just walk up and touch someone and run their fingers through their hair.

If he did it again, she would probably think of him as a pervert. Some guy who went around trying to get a feel (though he didn't come anywhere near in contact with her breasts). But, this was Inoue. She would never think of _any_one in such a way. Her soul was just that pure. If she were to look a cold blooded killer in the eye then she would somehow be able to warm his heart and make him into a regular in volunteer work as homeless shelters.

Yes, she was just _that _good.

And that is how Kurosaki Ichigo, somehow in this incredible universe, found the courage to once again pat the school's goddess on the head where her silky smooth hair was.

Damn… did he have the guts or what?

This also, lead him to saying some very strange stuff that Kurosaki Ichigo would never say to anyone_. _And damn, that meant _anyone_!

Well… with Inoue he was a totally different person, so it really didn't matter one bit.

So, while letting auburn strand get laced through his fingers as he began to walk past the busty girl, he let some words that felt very weird on his tongue, leave his lips.

"Inoue, don't ever change."

Why would he say something like this? Was it because she had made him almost laugh his way to tears? Did it really ultimately lead him to say something so… weird?

The statement was loud and clear for Orihime's ears to hear. Her knees actually shook when he passed her and she almost, _almost, _sunk down to the floor with flamed cheeks that rivaled her lesbian friend's hair color. A tingling shiver type of sensation past her body, thinking about how the way Ichigo had said her name was very sexy (did he cause her to swoon?).

Yes indeed! Damn well sexy it was!

When she could no longer hear his footsteps, signaling he was far away enough for him to not hear what she was about to do next, she did what any girl would do at that moment. She took in a breath of air and released it in…

…a fangirl squeal that echoed through the hallways.

…

…

…

A yell also echoes through the hallways as Orihime squealed.

"ORIHIME!"

Rukia shivered as she watched the spiky hair girl stomp off to where the squeal had come from. She also saw Ichigo coming in to the room, looking a little bit pleased with himself. An awkward grin covered his features, but only awkward because he was still scowling and the smile looked to be hurting his cheeks.

He was also looking at his hand in a way that just seemed odd.

"Mmm…" she though it over.

Yep, everything clicked together in her head.

…

…

…

_Bam_

"Owie!" The auburn haired girl clutched the area on her head that her friend had impaled her wrath on. She pouted with playful tears on the edge of falling. "Ta… T-Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime cried.

"Where in the bloody hell were you this morning?" Tatsuki's face was twisted with frustration and anger. Her fist that she had hit Orihime in the head with was still curled up tightly, ready to be used again if needed. A pained look crossed her face for a second as the impact from hitting her friend's head shot through her fist. It would probably bruise later.

"Y-You could have broken my head open!"

_Well I could have broken my hand!_ Tatsuki bit back that comment though.

"Hell yea I would have!" The karate champion then realized what the princess was trying to do. "And don't you try to change the subject, Hime!"

The noble woman placed a hand on Tatsuki's shoulder. "Hey, calm down Tatsuki. She's here, so that's all that matters right now."

When her eyes shifted, Orihime took the chance to run over to Rukia and lock her in a tight hug.

"Oh Kuchiki-san!" She chirped. "You understand me~!"

Just about ready to jump on the petite girl, Orihime spread her arms out to embrace her. But before the moment could begin, a hand shot out and grabbed her collar, puller her back.

"Oh, no you don't," Tatsuki grumbled. She pulled Orihime back while the princess tried her hardest to reach for her other friend. "You have some explaining to do, Hime!"

Orihime's arms swung to her sides looking lifeless. She stopped in place on the concrete roof top of the school. Her eyes were hooded and her lips pierced in a straight line. Her very own look of utter defeat. Even she knew when to give up. There was no winning against Tatsuki.

"So… you have discovered my plot to take over the world… have you?" Another try at changing the subject.

"…"

"Mmm? Well, have you Tatsuki-chan?" Orihime fluttered here eyelashes to look cute and innocent.

"…"

"Well, then if you're not with me, I'll just ask Kurosaki-kun and Kuchiki-san to join me! We'll go visit the aliens that harvest green carrots and steal all the red bean paste from them so we can-"

_Bam_

Rukia blinked. On the floor laid an out cold Orihime with a comical bump forming on the top of her auburn scalp. The petite girl just sighed.

"I don't think you had to knock her out, Tatsuki," Rukia deadpanned.

"…"

"…does your fist hurt?" she teased.

"…"

"…"

"Help me carry Orihime to the nurse's office."

"Sure."

…

…

…

Awkward silence filled the nurse's office. The older woman had claimed she was to take her lunch hour, so the two raven haired girls were welcome to stay in and watch over their friend till she woke up. Which they did, thanking the nurse for letting them skip class to stay.

Tatsuki sat on the stool closes to the bed while Rukia sat in the nurses rolling chair by the desk. She clicked a pen in and out, leaving annoyance to be gained on the other girl who was trying to keep it in. Right now wasn't the time to be fighting.

Taking in a breath, Tatsuki looked at the princess with a sad expression. She watched as her friend's chest moved up and down slowly and the twitch of her eyes when something in her dream seemed to mess with her. But in all, she seemed to be an ok condition.

Rukia, who had exchanged the pen for a folder, was waving the thick paper in front of her face to get some cool air. She glanced at Tatsuki every now and then to make sure she wasn't going to choke or smack the sleeping princess to get some answers out of her. It was safe to say though, that the karate champion had not done anything of the sort yet.

The picture in front of her made her want to laugh. Inoue with her face getting scrunched up in a strange way, to Tatsuki giving glares to the air with small huffs.

_Sometimes I wonder how these two became friend's… _A grin filled the petite girl's lips at such a though. _But then again, we met in a weird way too. So I guess its ok._

Tired of the silence, Rukia plopped the paper back on the desk and rolled her chair over next to Tatsuki.

"So…" the short girl started. She gave her spiky hair companion a small smile. "Does your fist hurt still?"

"…"

Tatsuki kept quiet. She didn't seem to be paying attention to Rukia. This just made the noble frown.

"Hey, you don't have to be worried over Inoue, Tatsuki," she tried to reassure with a small nod of her head.

"I'm not worried!" Tatsuki blushed and covered her face while turning her head away from the smiling girl. "I've just been thinking about something is all…"

Rukia raised a brow. "And what is this that you have been thinking of?"

"N-Nothing! Forget I said anything!" She still refused to look at Rukia.

"Oh hell no, Tatsuki!" Rukia yelled, but then remembered her sleeping friend. She brought it down the volume. "You don't just bring it up and expect it to be dropped right on the spot!"

"Yeah? Well it's not like I'm the only one keeping secrets here!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Tatsuki glared at the girl. "Like I don't fucking know that you're dating some tattooed dude was is way older then all of us!" She crossed her arms and stomped her foot. "Maybe I'll tell you what I'm keeping if you weren't keeping things from me and Orihime too!"

"Renji has nothing to do with this," Rukia stated has calmly as she could.

"So then leave me the hell alone!"

"Fine!" Rukia turned the other way on her chair and scowled at the plain white wall. Her purple orbs scanned over it, finding it way more interesting then She knew her love life was taking a turn for the worst, considering her family would kill her before letting her be with Renji. It wasn't like she was really even hiding it either. Neither her sister nor her brother-in-law cared to ask, so she did not care to inform them. It was none of their business any way.

But to think, that Tatsuki had known the whole time sent Rukia a wave of guilt. She had wanted to tell her two friends', but she worried over what they would tell her. Rather if they would approve of her dating a man in collage or tell her break it off.

She was scared.

Rukia was for sure certain that she was in love with Renji. In fact, if he were to pop the question of marriage, then she would jump from joy and exclaim how much better it would be to be with him instead of having all the money in the world. But then her family came to mind. She was a part of a clan full of nobles. Would they ever let her even think of saying 'I do'?

Probably not…

She wanted to scream. Her soul called out for freedom. To let her get away from all this dammed sorrow and be with the man she loved forever. Joined together as more then just a pair, but as husband and wife.

To be complete.

She dreamed. Her heart craved to find some type of love. Let it be with him, only him.

"I'm sorry, Rukia…" Tatsuki muttered. She was still looking at the slumbering girl.

She found herself smiling for some reason.

"It's ok," Rukia said back, trying to sound like she wasn't upset. "Besides, I don't think Inoue would want us to be fighting anyway."

"I bet you're right on that one," Tatsuki chuckled. When she stopped, she got a distant look in her eyes. "If you want… I'll tell you what I was thinking about from earlier."

"No, you don't have to if you don't want to," the short girl insisted. "It was none of my business to begin with."

"Well if you say so…" Rukia gave her friend a glare. She didn't like how she had said it so quickly.

_I'll have to keep this little plan to myself… _Tatsuki yawned and leaned back in her chair.

"Damn, now I actually want to know just what the hell you are planning to do," Rukia muttered with a small pout.

"Oh, don't worry Rukia. I think you'll be happy with these results just as much as might be."

Rukia furrowed her brows together. "And how is that?"

"I am going to make the legendary princess who has never had a boyfriend, get hooked up with a certain scowling punk."

And so the plan is set into motion.

...

...

...

...

...

* * *

><p><span>Disclaimer- <span>Do not own Bleach. Kubo does because I certainly can't draw like that.

Warning- ending of the first scene is crack-tastic! Beware of marshmallow men who steal pencils and plot bunnies! They like cherry pie and a sense of humor. Also, fluff? Ichigo appears?

Notes- _HTBB _will probably be updated before this Sunday. No promises though. =)


End file.
